The invention relates generally to an apparatus that is a reusable gift wrap and more particularly, to a reusable gift wrap to be used for packages, preferably made of fabric, having fastening means strategically placed along and near the fabric edges. When a package is wrapped with the reusable gift wrap, it surrounds the box similarly to traditional paper gift wrap, and the fastening means are completely or partially hidden from view. The reusable fabric gift wrap does not have to be exactly matched to the box size, so it can be adapted to fit a number of sizes of packages.
Traditionally, gift wrapping of boxes involves separately purchasing paper, bows, ribbons, and tape. Then the paper must be cut to size and the tape cut to the right size and applied. When the gift is opened, the wrap is usually discarded. Even if the wrap is desired to be saved, the fragility of the paper and inability to remove the tape without ripping the paper, make reuse impracticable. Disposable gift wrapping can be expensive, especially when the cost to the environment of disposal is considered.
Other reusable gift wrappings have been designed. One such design provides for a fabric wrap secured with fasteners, however, the fabric wrap is composed of multiple pieces that must be cut, hemmed and sewn together, increasing the manufacturing cost of the wrap. In addition, this same design requires that the wrap size as manufactured exactly fit the gift box the wrap is to cover. If the box size varies slightly, the fasteners will not allow the wrap to stay secured around the box and will not give the package a smooth appearance. In addition, since the fasteners are a Velcro.TM. type material and are permanently attached to the wrap, if the fabric is to be reused and washed, the fasteners can accumulate debris during washing. In addition, if the wrap is continually reused, the fasteners may become loose and the wrap would no longer be of use.
Another type of reusable wrap design also consists of multiple pieces of fabric that must be sewn or otherwise attached to each other which increases the manufacturing time and cost. This same design also provides for an adhesive coating to be applied to the edges of the fabric wrap. This adhesive coating however, will adhere on contact to any portion of the fabric, which also means that it will adhere as well to other objects that one does not want to be part of the gift wrapped package. In addition, if the fabric is to be reused and washed, the adhesive coating will eventually lose its adhesive properties during washing, but until it does so, it will also adhere both to itself and to other fabrics in the wash. If the adhesive is applied after the wrap is sold, it requires some hours of drying time before it can be used, which may delay wrapping the gift.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need, therefore for a one piece reusable gift wrap, that does not have to match the size of the gift box exactly, with fasteners that allow some adjustment of the gift wrap to fit various box sizes, capable of either being washed without affecting the fastening capability of the fasteners, or if the fasteners are Velcro.TM. type hook and loop fasteners, the fasteners may be removed prior to washing and then quickly and easily reapplied, with no need to apply adhesive or tape to the gift wrap, is easily and inexpensively fabricated and assembled, simple to use, and gives the wrapped package a smooth appearance.